adamrs80

I'm considering purchasing a C280, probably 2000 model. I've owned 2 cars with the M111 engine, but I'd like something a little smoother. I don't want to heavily modify anything, but I would like to know if there are any performance mods for the C280 that give some amount of real HP or Torque gain. I checked with Renntech and they only have cams, and air filters for the inline-6. I prefer the inline six, but I would rather have a newer car so the V-6 it is. Can anybody give me a little information? thanks for the help.

Ashkan's C43

if there any inline 6 mods for the c280 let me know too, i have a 97 c280 and my friend has this sunfire and its a v4 and its still faster than mine i've been in his car during his take off and it could take me someone help

ShollyC220

mosselman turbo...

Ashkan's C43

what now?

adamrs80

Yeah a turbo kit would be nice but I'm not looking to get into forced induction with this car. I'm mainly looking for air intake, ecu/chip tuning, guess thats basically it. Has anybody ever purchased a chip? Was it worth the money? I noticed today than Wetterauer, and Powerchip both have something available and claim around 10-12 gain for both Hp and torque. Has anybody experienced this? Thanks again.

pointman

v4?

pointman

what do you consider "real horsepower"?

pointman

ive chipped my cars including a previous c36... it definitely helps, but isnt gonna make your car a dragster overnight. powerchip is a very reputable company. intake will help the car"breath" better, but may trip ce light if wrong intake used. exhaust system would be nice to go with the intake.

pointman

endless possibilities, can i ask what kind of budget youre talking about?

adamrs80

By "real horsepower" I mean increases that actually happen. Claims like a K&N air filter will give me 10hp, or something like that. I'm just looking for people to tell me what actually works. I know in some cars certain modifications make siginificant differences on certian cars but I'm just trying to stay away from stuff that dosen't live up to it's claim. Also not looking so spend $1000 for 3-5 hp. My budget is maybe $2000. I don't want to do anything internal to the engine, except for maybe a different camshaft, but that would have to be a really sure thing and I'd rather just work outside the engine. I've found chips from Powerchip, Upsolete, and Wetterauer. Not sure which one would be best. Also I found an intake from HKS, but I was hoping to find something like that from a German tuner. Exhaust would be last one my list but I'd be looking for something pretty quiet. I'm not looking to race anybody or anything like that. I'm coming from a six-speed SLK230 so I really just want to try and give this car a little more get up and go, more equal to the SLK. I'd get a C36 or C43 but I've heard repairs are expensive, and I don't want to worry about how the car was treated before I bought it. One question is on the chips. I'm just curious how they give you more power than MB, but manage to get better fuel economy? Does the car run lean or something or is it the fact that most chips specify using 93 octane so it just runs a little better and that saves gas. I've read on this forum that the C280 actually runs better on mid-grade gas. I don't know much about chip tuning. Sorry for rambling.

meanie

A performance chip usually does the following.
1. Advance ignition timing ( that's why you have to use premium gas ).
2. Dump more fuel into the engine.
3. Some chips extend the redline of the engine.
4. Some chips may eliminate the top-speed limiter.
5. On auto. transmissions, often the shiftpoints are increased.

Long story short, on a normally aspirated engine ( no turbo, no S/C ), you'll be lucky to see a 10 hp increase.

ricerokets4life

for $2000 on a C280...

1) nice remus muffler with some custom cat-back job (i suggest the smallest magnaflow resonator you can find)
OR
2) HKS intake, ECU upgrade, maybe some plug wire upgrades
OR
3) a tire/wheel package that costs around $1200, H&R springs, bilstien shocks.

those are the only things that come to mind right now.

pointman

mid grade gas is gonna give you a pinging over time, dont do it.

pointman

sure sure. peechko, pochko.

adamrs80

Thanks for the advice and info on the chip. I thought a 10hp/tq. increase seemed a little steep for just a chip, but I'd be happy with getting 10 hp/tq with a chip and intake if possible. Does anybody know how much of an increase the intakes available (is HKS the only one?) give? My goal, if I get a C280 is for it to have acceleration equal to my SLK, but thats probably a stretch. I may toy with the suspension a little too.

pointman

intake and a chip arent gonna be much of a change on a factory c280.

intakes can be custom fabricated. intake will give a few hp.

adamrs80

Doesn't sound like there is much use in trying to modify the C280. Anybody else have any ideas...other than a turbo of course. Has anybody ever dynoed their car after installing a chip/intake/exhaust or any combintion of these to verify any performance claims?

C280Sportster

There is an under drive pully for the V6's. There are simple things you can do, like 10w-30 oil, K/N, etc. I haven't heard anything good about Chips in normally asperated cars. Something like shaving off 100 pounds would do wonders also.

Do a few searches for "speedybenz", he had a C280 and he did a lot to it (now he has a C43).

Get a 1999 C230 Kompressor, I think there is a chip and pully kit that will give you 15 hp for about $1200-1500 bucks (maybe a lot less?).

It's not cheap, but nothing is in MB land.

adamrs80

Well I'm tying to get something without the Kompressor engine. I know the M111 is great because I've had a couple of them but I wanted something a little smoother. I'll check out the speedybenz stuff you mentioned.

Ashkan's C43

well sorry about responding late, but if money isn't a problem what would you say to get with first and or what is there I can do, and also if you guys could point me to some websites for this stuff, that would be great, I really want to start with smaller stuff before i get into turbo or anything, but I would like to see a boost in power with my car, lately i've just been feeling like its "just another benz", and I wanted things for my car to help me stand out, both in appearance and power, thanks guys

pointman

you want hp for less money? easy...nitrous. $800 will get you a hundred shot of the good stuff in a wet dry mixture. thatll be all the hp youll need.

Ashkan's C43

i'd rather add some hardware into my car, and the nit kit just seems to ricer to me, too much like the gay and the curious movie

pointman

you asked about hp...i gave a suggestion. relax with the stupid movie knock.

Ashkan's C43

thanks for replying but its just a joke man but i was leaning more towards a chip maybe or just some part i can add or get a better one of, i'm not a pro when it comes to this so i could use all the help i can get, and also does anyone know the specs of the c280 year 97 like 0-60 hp things like that

pointman

0-60...slow.